The effects of internationalisation on domestic labour demand by skills : Firm-level evidence for Belgium

We empirically investigate the effects of the internationalisation of Belgian firms on domestic demand for production and non-production workers, which are used as proxies for unskilled and skilled labour. Distinction is made between home-employment effects of firms’ internationalisation, through either international trade or outward foreign direct investment, in highincome countries and in low-income economies. The results of our econometric analysis, using data over 1997-2007, suggest that increasing import shares from low-income countries or investing in those countries significantly reduces demand for low-skilled labour, while it increases demand for skilled labour. An increase in exports generally raises the demand for production workers, while it reduces the demand for non-production workers. However, these effects are reversed in the case of exports to low-income countries. Considering the impact of FDI, our results tentatively suggest that the setting up of a new international investment project has a positive impact on demand for non-production workers one period before it is made. This positive effect is offset in the long run, particularly in the case of investment in low-income countries.labour demand, international trade, outward FDI, skilled and unskilled labour

Hydrologic Modeling to Examine Land Use Change Impacts (1970’s and 2005) on the Sediment Yield and Flow Regime in Cayuga Creek, Niagara County, New York

This research aims to assess the water quality and the land use change impacts on sediment concentration and flow regime in Cayuga Creek, Niagara County, NY for two land use periods, 1970’s and 2005. The 1970’s land use, classified by the USGS, had a significant error. Therefore, the scenario of sediment yield and discharge level to land use change is more of a “what if” since the 1970’s land use was classified incorrectly. The Soil and Water Assessment Tool (SWAT)was used to simulate flows and sediment concentrations for the two land use scenarios using the same rainfall data at the upstream and downstream sites. The modeling results indicated that the discharges at the downstream site were higher than those at the upstream site for both 1970’s and 2005 land uses. The sediment concentration was higher at the downstream site than the upstream site for 1970’s land use and the result was in an opposite direction for 2005 land use. Hydrolab Datasonde 4a’s were installed at an upstream and downstream site for a ten week period in order to assess water quality. The parameters monitored were: dissolved oxygen, pH, conductivity, turbidity, and temperature. Grab samples were taken in order to examine total suspended solids levels and establish a relationship with turbidity

Limitations of low resolution mass spectrometry in the electron capture negative ionization mode for the analysis of short- and medium-chain chlorinated paraffins

The analysis of complex mixtures of chlorinated paraffins (CPs) with short (SCCPs, C10-C13) and medium (MCCPs, C14-C17) chain lengths can be disturbed by mass overlap, if low resolution mass spectrometry (LRMS) in the electron capture negative ionization mode is employed. This is caused by CP congeners with the same nominal mass, but with five carbon atoms more and two chlorine atoms less; for example C11H17 37Cl35Cl6 (m/z395.9) and C16H29 35Cl5 (m/z396.1). This can lead to an overestimation of congener group quantity and/or of total CP concentration. The magnitude of this interference was studied by evaluating the change after mixing a SCCP standard and a MCCP standard 1+1 (S+MCCP mixture) and comparing it to the single standards. A quantification of the less abundant C16 and C17 congeners present in the MCCP standard was not possible due to interference from the major C11 and C12 congeners in the SCCPs. Also, signals for SCCPs (C10-C12) with nine and ten chlorine atoms were mimicked by MCCPs (C15-C17) with seven and eight chlorine atoms (for instance C10H12Cl10 by C15H24Cl8). A similar observation was made for signals from C15-C17 CPs with four and five chlorine atoms resulting from SCCPs (C10-C12) with six and seven chlorine atoms (such as C15H28Cl4 by C10H16Cl6) in the S+MCCP mixture. It could be shown that the quantification of the most abundant congeners (C11-C14) is not affected by any interference. The determination of C10 and C15 congeners is partly disturbed, but this can be detected by investigating isotope ratios, retention time ranges and the shapes of the CP signals. Also, lower chlorinated compounds forming [M+Cl]− as the most abundant ion instead of [M-Cl]− are especially sensitive to systematic errors caused by superposition of ions of different composition and the same nominal mas

Interview with Julie Hale

Emily Reth interviews Julie Hale about her life as a student at Wright State University. They discuss topics ranging from morning routines, the first day of classes, to favorite classes and professors

Method and Apparatus for Spacecraft Gyroscope Scale Factor Calibration

A method and apparatus for estimating gyro scale factor during normal spacecraft operations, using small attitude motions that are compliant with mission pointing accuracy and stability requirements and a signal processing method that specifically detects the intentionally induced motions. This process increases operational availability by avoiding the need to take the spacecraft offline for large calibration maneuvers

TLR induces reorganization of the IgM-BCR complex regulating murine B-1 cell responses to infections.

In mice, neonatally-developing, self-reactive B-1 cells generate steady levels of natural antibodies throughout life. B-1 cells can, however, also rapidly respond to infections with increased local antibody production. The mechanisms regulating these two seemingly very distinct functions are poorly understood, but have been linked to expression of CD5, an inhibitor of BCR-signaling. Here we demonstrate that TLR-mediated activation of CD5+ B-1 cells induced the rapid reorganization of the IgM-BCR complex, leading to the eventual loss of CD5 expression, and a concomitant increase in BCR-downstream signaling, both in vitro and in vivo after infections of mice with influenza virus and Salmonella typhimurium. Both, initial CD5 expression and TLR-mediated stimulation, were required for the differentiation of B-1 cells to IgM-producing plasmablasts after infections. Thus, TLR-mediated signals support participation of B-1 cells in immune defense via BCR-complex reorganization

Discovering immunoreceptor coupling and organization motifs

The recently determined cryo-EM structures of the T cell antigen receptor (TCR) and B cell antigen receptor (BCR) show in molecular details the interactions of the ligand-binding part with the signaling subunits but they do not reveal the signaling mechanism of these antigen receptors. Without knowing the molecular basis of antigen sensing by these receptors, a rational design of optimal vaccines is not possible. The existence of conserved amino acids (AAs) that are not involved in the subunit interaction suggests that antigen receptors form higher complexes and/or have lateral interactors that control their activity. Here, I describe evolutionary conserved leucine zipper (LZ) motifs within the transmembrane domains (TMD) of antigen and coreceptor components that are likely to be involved in the oligomerization and lateral interaction of antigen receptor complexes on T and B cells. These immunoreceptor coupling and organization motifs (ICOMs) are also found within the TMDs of other important receptor types and viral envelope proteins. This discovery suggests that antigen receptors do not function as isolated entities but rather as part of an ICOM-based interactome that controls their nanoscale organization on resting cells and their dynamic remodeling on activated lymphocytes

Preface to special issue on nanoscale membrane organisations

EU through grant FP7/2007-2013 (SYBILLA, BA, MR, WWS) and ERC 2013-Advanced Grant 334763 (NOVARIPP, BA) and the Deutsche Forschungsgemeinschaft (DFG) through EXC294 (the Centre for Biological Signalling Studies, BIOSS, WWS), TRR130 (MR), SFB746 (MR) and SCHA 976/2-1 (WWS)Peer Reviewe